Shaping our Future with Wildfire: Community Survey & Meetings
Paradise Valley development along the Yellowstone River Photo Courtesy @ecoflight
Look around Park County, and it’s easy to see how fast we’re growing. New homes are going up, neighborhoods are expanding, and our landscapes are changing. But as our communities grow and landscapes become fragmented, our collective wildfire risk increases, and our local resources are stretched thinner.
Wildfire is a natural and essential part of the northern Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and our forests depend on it. But living safely alongside it requires all of us to be active participants. To protect what we love—our homes, wildlife habitat, healthy watersheds, and neighbors—we must be proactive.
That is why we are serving on the core team of the new Park County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and we need your help to shape it.
Here are two ways you can get involved right now:
1. TODAY - REVIEW DATA & TAKE THE SURVEY
Your on-the-ground experience as a landowner, resident, or visitor is invaluable. Dive into the interactive data on the project hub, and please take a few minutes to fill out the community survey to share specific risks and concerns in your neighborhood and places you visit. The website includes a Wildfire Risk Assessment with a variety of different maps like the one in the photo depicting the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
2. NEXT WEEK - ATTEND A PARK COUNTY CWPP PUBLIC MEETING
Please join PCEC, Park County, local agencies, and wildfire mitigation specialists FACE Wildfire by MC Fire, LLC at a public open house. Come examine updated wildfire hazard maps, ask tough questions, tell us what needs protecting and learn more about wildfire risk in your neighborhood. Additionally, you’ll have direct access to practical wildfire preparedness and mitigation resources from a variety of participating local organizations and public agencies.
All events are held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at your local fire station:
Monday, June 22nd Gardiner | Gateway Hose Company Fire Station (118 US Highway 89 South)
Tuesday, June 23rd Clyde Park | Rural Fire Station (405 1st Ave North)
Thursday, June 25th Pray | Paradise Valley Fire Service Area Fire Station (1140 East River Road)
Friday, June 26th Livingston | Park County Rural Fire District Station 1 (304 East Park Street)
Plus, you can find the CWPP Team at the Livingston Farmers Market (Miles Park, River Drive) on Wednesday, June 24th between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Stop by our booth right next to the Zero Waste Station to chat, ask questions, and pick up helpful wildfire preparedness resources!
What is a CWPP and why does it matter?
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a collaborative roadmap designed to help us understand and actively reduce our local wildfire risks. It is created through a partnership between county government, fire agencies, state and federal land managers, and the public — ensuring local knowledge guides local solutions. By identifying community values, evaluating hazards, and prioritizing specific mitigation projects, we can better protect our neighborhoods, safeguard critical infrastructure, and support local emergency responders. This plan is also essential for securing federal funding to get these mitigation projects done.
The final draft incorporating your comments will be delivered this Autumn, and the final CWPP will be presented to the Park County Commissioners for adoption by the end of 2026.
Like all meaningful planning efforts, a CWPP is an ongoing process of resilience. By mapping our risks and aligning our priorities, we are fostering a long-term culture of readiness that will help us protect everything we love about Park County.
Review the interactive maps that help us understand our risk. Some of these include landownership, fire history, vegetation type, flame length, ember load, safe egress routes, structure density and more. Explore modeled wildfire hazards and exposure across Park County that informs planning and preparedness. You can view these under the Wildfire Risk Assessment on the website: HTTPS://CWPP-PARKCOUNTY.HUB.ARCGIS.COM/
Paradise Valley and the ABWilderness looking at the burn scar of the 2012 Pine Creek fire up South Fork Deep Creek Photo Courtesy of @ecoflight
Whether you are a lifelong resident, a new homeowner, or someone who loves visiting Park County, your feedback at these meetings will directly shape the future of wildfire preparedness in our community.
Thank you for your dedication to keeping Park County safe, resilient, and thriving. We hope to see you at the open houses next week.
For additional information regarding the CWPP update process, please contact Greg Coleman from Park County at GColeman@parkcounty.org or Jerry McAdams with FACE Wildfire at info@facewildfire.com
Please share the CWPP website and survey widely!
